Teen With Special Needs Visits Late Mom's Tombstone To Say He "Did It" And Graduated

Oct 12, 2020

Graduating from anything is a major milestone in life and one that is often celebrated with those closest to us, especially family.

But for one special needs teen from Lousiana named Paul Marshall Jr., he wasn't able to share his high school graduation with his mother, LaTanya Delphine Wilson Marshall, since she had passed away in 2010. However, that didn't stop him from including her in the moment anyway, as he went to her grave on the day and told her all about his achievement this year.

Whether it's graduating from high school or university, or any other institution in which one has worked hard to learn and achieve something, when the big day where you can say your hard work paid off and your work has been acknowledged arrives, it's a momentous occasion. That's why graduation ceremonies mean so much to people, both those who are receiving honors and those who are supporting them.

This is why it's difficult when the people you love and who've supported you are unable to come to your graduation ceremony. Sometimes there are big reasons why the people we love can't make it and other times it's because they are sadly not with us anymore. 

That's what happened to one teen with special needs named Paul Jr., whose mother passed away in 2010, as you'll see in this touching video and as KSLA reports. But what's so moving is that her no longer being alive didn't stop him from letting her know of his achievement and including her in his celebration. Captured in a video, the moment has since been shared on the internet, allowing us all to participate and honor the young man in his wonderful achievement.

In the video posted to YouTube, the teen is seen looking dressed up and dapper, as he wears a button-up shirt, tie, and pants on his big day. In the video, he walks up through the cemetery to her grave while holding a bouquet. Once he arrives at her grave, he speaks to his mother, telling her the big news. He says:

"Mommy, I have something to say, that I did it. I did it. I graduated today. And I know you're so proud of me and happy. I love you so much."

Paul Jr. then places the flowers on his mother's grave before kissing his fingers and then touching her tombstone. The moment is so precious because it's clear how deserving and proud the boy is to have graduated, and his mother would surely be so proud to see the young man he's grown into.

Congratulations to the young man for graduating — he should be very proud of himself, both for his hard work and also for the beautiful way he included his mother in his celebration.

What did you think of this touching video? Do you have any moving graduation stories? We'd love to hear them below. Then be sure to pass this on to your loved ones to spread this young man's story further.